Sincerely, Edward
by Holly1980
Summary: Their love grew over a series of letters exchanged while he was deployed to Afghanistan. He's coming home and there is no other place she'd rather be than waiting for him. ExB Entry for the PPSS "Officer and A Gentleman" contest.


**An Officer and a Gentlemen Contest**

**Title:** Sincerely, Edward

**Your pen name(s):** holly1980

**Branch of Service/Profession:** Army

**Pairing:** Edward and Bella

If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this contest visit the "**An Officer and a Gentleman **" C2 Community:

fanfiction (dot) net/community/The_Perv_Packs_An_Officer_and_a_Gentleman_Contest_Entries/76389/

August 2002

If someone had told me eight months ago that I would be standing on a tarmac awaiting the arrival of a guy who had stood me up on a lunch date, I would have laughed in their face. But as it seems, that was exactly what I was doing.

An entourage of family or friends did not accompany me. Hell, I didn't even have a sign or flowers. What I did have were the letters; letters that were written to me over the course of several months. In these letters there were words of apologies, words of hope, and words of war. They were the words of a soldier stationed in Afghanistan.

I arrived at the airfield well before the plane was scheduled to arrive. The wives, husbands, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers of those who had just ended their latest tour surrounded me. They, unlike me, held homemade signs welcoming their loved ones home. Several others held large bouquets of flowers. Each one of these people had a story and as I waited for the plane to arrive, I pondered what they told. I myself had my own story as to how I ended up here.

I took a seat against the fence, far enough away to enjoy the last of my solitude. I pulled the letters out of my bag, all written on five by seven stationary adorned with clouds, and began to re-read each one. It was pointless really. I had read these letters so many times that I practically had them all memorized. I had my favorite lines emblazoned into my memory. As I looked over them I recalled how I had ended up here, how our story had begun.

It all started with a regular night out with the girls. Little did I know that this night would change my life forever. That was the night I was reacquainted with Edward Cullen.

Edward and I had gone to high school together but never spoke. When I saw him walk into the bar that Saturday night eight months ago, I questioned myself as to why that was so. We had spent the better part of the night engrossed in conversation. He told me all about his job as a Sergeant in the army, his dreams for when he left the military and his fears of being deployed. I listened to every single word he had said. It was like I was hanging on the edge of my seat as he told story after story. By the end of the night I gave him one of my business cards and he promised that we would get together for lunch after the holidays.

Once the holidays were over he called just as he said he would. We made plans to meet for lunch at a local Mexican restaurant so we could continue each other's company. I remember the day we were to meet like it was yesterday. If meeting Edward after four years of high school and spending all night talking to him was the best night of my life, our lunch date was the worst. I sat at the bar waiting for him to show for thirty minutes. He never came. He never called to explain. He never phoned to reschedule. He never showed.

It was two months before I received any word from him. That was when the first of the letters arrived. It showed up at my work because that was the only address he had for me. He had gotten it off of the business card I had given him the night we met.

In the letter he cut right to the chase, offering apologies for standing me up for lunch. The only excuse he had was that he had no way of getting in touch with me to let me know he wouldn't be able to make it. I could only assume, at the time, my business card with my number was not with him.

The rest of the letter talked about life in Afghanistan.

I cried when I first read it. How could I have been mad at him? He was bravely fighting for our country and _I_ was upset over being stood up for lunch. It was a reality check for sure. I wrote him back to let him know that I was appreciative of him taking the time to apologize for not showing. It spoke volumes for the kind of person that he was.

That was how the letters started.

The second letter arrived three weeks later. It was much happier than the first. He spoke of places he wanted to visit when he returned home and how he wanted me to go with him. I relished the idea of being alone on an island, with no one to interrupt us. It was amazing how powerfully his words had affected me. I had never had anyone speak to me with such regard before. He made me feel a part of his life, a part of the decisions he was forced to make.

The smile that spread across my face each time I received a letter from him never faded. I ran to the mailbox every day in hopes that another piece of him would be waiting for me. I had sent him pictures of my life here in the states and I hoped that each time I saw a letter from him, that he had included some of his life in Afghanistan.

Not only did he share what had taken place during his time in the desert, but he also wanted to know about me. He would ask questions and I would happily give him answers. We made promises to write every day, in hopes that if we did, then maybe we'd have a letter from each other every few days, rather than every few weeks.

He shared with me the ups and downs of a soldier's life. How others had returned from a mission a few brothers short. How he narrowly escaped death as he was supposed to be on that very mission. How he feared that he would be there until September, only to endure a month long boat ride to the states because he would be required to assist in the transport of the ambulances. How he dreamt of me and held my picture close. How getting a letter from me brightened his day. How he missed me.

We filled the letters with details of our lives and our families. I had never felt more connected to another human being before. He gave me hope, just as I gave him a reason to fight.

In May the letters stopped and the phone calls began. It was euphoric to hear his voice on the other end of line after so many months. The letters were nice but the sound of his voice made it all seem so much more real. The calls themselves were an experience. The delay time between the two lines was a nuisance, but it didn't matter. The fact that I was able to hear him speak the words he had written to me made it worth it.

Edward only called a few times. He said the lines to use the phones were always long. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend all day waiting for the chance to hear my voice, but rather that he had a job to do. The last call I had received from him had me over the moon with joy. He was coming home. He was coming home for me.

I had made all the necessary arrangements to be at the airfield when he arrived. His parents couldn't be there and I knew there was no way I was going to let him return without some sort of welcome wagon.

In the distance I could hear the sounds of the planes descending upon the landing strip. Families began to cheer and clap. I stood up from my resting spot, a huge smile spread across my face. It was in that moment that I experienced a case of the nerves. I wasn't sure why. I had put my heart and soul on the line and in words to this man. I had fallen in love with him. In just eight short months, a dozen letters, and several phone calls later, I had fallen head over heals in love with a man that I only had one night of meaningful conversation with. In a few short moments, he would be stepping off the plane. I think that's what scared me the most. What if once he saw me he regretted everything he had ever said? What if I was just someone to help pass the time away? What if he didn't love me as I loved him?

I had to push my fears aside and put on a brave face. He needed to see that I was here for him, even if all he wanted was a friend. I could be that. I would rather be his friend than nothing at all. He meant entirely too much to me not to have him in my life. He was my everything, I just hoped I was his.

The man next to me helped retrieve my bag from the ground. I smiled and thanked him politely.

"How long has your husband been gone?" he asked, making small talk to pass the time.

"Oh," I stammered, "I'm not married. But eight months."

"I'm sorry I assumed. Boyfriend then?" he further inquired.

I nodded. "Yeah, I guess you could say so."

He extended his hand out to me. "The name's Jake."

"Bella," I offered and met his vice like grip. "Who are you waiting for?"

"My wife, she's been gone just as long as your boyfriend."

"I bet you're excited to have her home."

He smiled. "You have no idea, or maybe you do," he added with a wink.

I choked back a small laugh. Jake and I both turned our attention back to the airstrip where the plane had successfully landed. My hands were shaking with nerves. I began to bite my nails in order to keep myself calm. The gates opened and the people around me began to fill in the other side of the fence. Jake and I took our cue and followed behind them.

The wait was excruciating. One hundred or so yards away, my hero sat, awaiting the doors of the plane to open. I wondered if he was just as nervous as I was. If he had a nervous habit like I did to help calm him. Several people around me had already begun crying. I couldn't imagine doing this more than once and I briefly wondered how many times they had done so. My mind quickly snapped back to the present as the stairs descended from the door of the plane and the first of the soldiers exited.

I hoped that I would recognize Edward. I knew that I would, but I had to wonder if he looked any different from the one and only night that we had shared together since he never sent any pictures of himself in his letters. I looked to my left where Jake had stood, only he wasn't there any more. He had taken off into a run towards a woman I presumed was his wife. Families all around me were running in various directions to their own heroes. I searched the crowds in hopes that I would spot mine. Maybe I should have made a sign. It would have been so much easier for him to spot me.

The stairs were taken away from the plane as the last of the passengers exited. He was out here, but where? Was he watching me turn in circles, while I looked over countless heads in search for him?

The crowds began to thin as the families ushered off their soldiers. There, on the opposite end of the tarmac, was Edward. Dressed in his army fatigues, his eyes roamed the bodies of people. He was looking for me. I stood rooted to the ground until his eyes landed upon mine. It was just like that night we met at the bar, when our eyes locked from across the room. He smiled and I took off into a run. He dropped his bags and began his own sprint towards me. When I felt it safe enough, I leaped into his arms and threw my arms around his neck, my legs wrapped firmly around his waist. We stayed like that for several minutes, relishing in the feel of one another. I didn't want to let him go. I wanted to hold him like this forever.

The first words out of his mouth were the ones I had been longing to hear.

"I love you, Bella Swan," he said and hugged me tighter. "God how I've missed you."

My eyes had started to water the moment I spotted him, but now the tears flowed freely down my cheeks. I lifted my head from the crook of his neck and placed my hands on either side of his face. His eyes were just as vividly green as I remembered.

"I love you too, Edward Cullen. You have no idea how much."

"Bella," he began, "I'm going to do something I've wanted to do since that first night I saw you. Something I've dreamt about doing every night since. Hold still, okay?"

I nodded because I was fairly certain I knew what he meant. He tilted his head and brought his lips to mine. The kiss started out sweet and innocent, but it quickly became fierce and needy. My hands were still cradling his face and my thumbs traced small circles across his cheekbones. We stayed locked like that for a long time. We had eight months to make up for and it all started with that kiss.

When we finally released our holds on one another, Edward gently placed me back on the ground, retrieved his bags and then took my hand in his as we made our way towards my car. I wasn't sure what was planned for our night. The air base was several hours away from my house so I had booked a hotel room for us to stay in. I was pretty sure Edward wouldn't have wanted to endure any more traveling.

"Are you hungry?" I asked. "We could go grab something to eat if you want."

He smiled down at me and shook his head. "No baby, I'm not hungry for food. We can go grab something later. Why don't we just get settled into the hotel first? I'd really like to take a shower and lie down for a while."

"Okay. That sounds good."

When we reached my car I offered to let him drive. He declined and settled himself into the passenger seat, holding my hand for the entire ride to the hotel. We checked in and found our room easily. Edward excused himself to take a shower and I had to admit, I was going to miss the camo. There was something hot about a man in uniform.

While he was in the bathroom, I called my roommates to let them know where I was and how everything went. We had plans for a big dinner the following night to properly welcome Edward home.

I was pretty sure that food was the last thing on Edward's mind when I mentioned eating. I knew all too well what he wanted to do. He had been away for eight months and I would have been lying if I said I didn't want the same thing from him. The water was still running so I knew I had time to pull off what I had in store for him. He had left his military uniform shirt on the back of the chair before he went to the bathroom, along with his hat. I quickly undressed, opting to forgo bra and panties all together, and slipped his shirt on my body. I buttoned the two middle buttons and couldn't help but smile when I looked down and saw his name. I walked to the vanity mirror and fixed my hair so that it looked somewhat presentable in his hat.

The water shut off and I could hear the curtain being pulled back. I situated myself on the bed in hopes that he would get a rise out of this as much as I had planned for him to. The door opened from the bathroom and Edward appeared in nothing but a towel wrapped securely around his waist. Months of being in the desert and countless hours working out had done his body good. He gaped at me as I sat on my knees on the bed, giving him my best salute.

"Private Swan reporting for duty, Sergeant Cullen."

He smiled and inched closer to the bed. I followed his gaze until he was standing at my side.

"First rule, Private Swan, always keep your eyes averted to the front." He slowly traced his fingers on the outside of my neck down to the dip in my cleavage. He dropped the towel from around his waist and climbed onto the bed. He sat in front of me on his heels as he began to undo the two buttons I had fastened. I did as he said and kept my attention front and center like a good soldier.

He slowly pushed his shirt over my shoulders and down the length of my arms. He leaned in and kissed the side of my neck ever so lightly.

"You have no idea what it does to me to see you in my shirt. To see you in something that has my name on it. It's like I have a claim on you." He nibbled at my ear while his hands ran up and down my sides. I was about to lose my balance so I placed my hands on his shoulders for support. His mouth descended down my neck and across my chest. He palmed my left breast in his hands while he kissed and sucked on the right one. I threw my head back and sighed as he slowly caressed my body.

His kiss traveled back up my chest until his lips reached mine. He was gentle and caring as he slipped his tongue into my mouth. I, in turn, slid mine in his. We kissed for a few minutes, our tongues working with one another. His hands were all over my body. Kneading, caressing, and worshiping my curves. He pulled back from the kiss and brought his hand to my face. His thumbs lightly touched my lips.

"I've waited eight long months to be with you. This is a dream come true for me. Bella, let me make love to you?" he asked honestly.

I smiled and tossed his hat off my head. It landed clear across the room. "Sir, yes sir," I simply replied.

He curved his lips up in the sexiest smile I had ever seen as he proceeded to lay me flat against the bed. He reached over to the bedside table and pulled out a single condom. I briefly wondered when he had put it there. That was a question saved for another time. He sat back up and rested on the heels of his feet. He ripped the package with his teeth and lowered his hands as he began to roll the condom down his shaft. I held out my hands, lightly touching his, to stop him.

"Let me?" I asked and sat up so that my position mirrored his.

I swallowed hard as I took in his size. The shear girth alone was enough to stretch me wider than any one else had ever done. I carefully placed the latex on the tip and began to roll it down. He softly brushed the outsides of my arms while I covered him.

When I was done I reached up to gently kiss him on the lips. I lowered myself back against the bed, while Edward ran his hands up my thighs, over the curve of my hips until both hands were cupping a breast. He leaned down and kissed his way across my stomach. He removed his hands and kissed and lightly sucked each nipple. My body arched at the contact his mouth made. I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought his lips back to mine.

I kissed him with all the passion my body could relay. "I love you, Edward," I whispered into his mouth.

"I love you so much more, Bella; so much more," he said as he guided himself into me.

As soon as the tip made contact and he began to fill me, we both gasped at the feeling. I had never felt so completed by another person, and I was fairly certain he wasn't all the way in. He rested his forehead against mine as he slowly pushed himself in further.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm more than okay," I honestly replied. I reached up and kissed him to let him know just how okay I was.

He slid himself out and back in again, finding a comfortable rhythm. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled his body closer to mine every time he was fully inside me. There was no dirty talk, only soft moans and sighs. This was all that I needed, him and this moment.

My hands fisted in his hair, which was considerably shorter than the last time I had seen him. I pulled his face to mine and kissed him hard.

"Edward," I said between ragged breaths, "I'm so close. I'm not going to make it much longer."

His breathing was heavy when he replied, "I know baby, me either. Let's do this together. Let go with me. Let it all fall apart."

I kissed him again and moaned my pleasure into his mouth as my orgasm took over my body. My hands were clawing at his back as I let myself go around him.

"Oh God, baby, you're so good, too good. We have forever, Bella," he said as his own orgasm began to claim his body. As he pulsed inside of me, he chanted the words forever, over and over.

As soon as he came down he rested his glistening body on top of mine. We lay in each other arms, kissing and touching, still connected. He slowly pulled himself out and disposed of the condom in the trashcan near the bed. He quickly returned and laid his body flush against mine. Our bodies fit together, like the pieces of a puzzle, as we lay on our sides in each other arms. He kissed my temple and relaxed his body into mine.

"I meant what I said, Bella. We have forever. I will love you forever," he whispered as he pulled my body closer to his.

"I know," I replied. "This is only the beginning."

We lay in the bed, no boundaries in our way. There was no postal service to wait for, no delay in phone lines. It was just us in each other's arms. I knew that I faced the possibility of him being deployed again but, for the time, I wasn't going to allow myself to think about that. Across the world there was a war still being fought, even though my soldier had returned home to me. But tonight the battle over my heart had already been won. Staff Sergeant Edward Cullen owned my heart and soul, forever.

**A/N-**

Much love to my amazing beta **katydid2363** for doing this at the last minute. To **dinx** and **angstaddict09** for bearing with me this week and helping me get everything just right. Please review and let me know what you think!

PS- The letters are real and I'd love nothing more than to share them with you all!


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